ML19254D359
| ML19254D359 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Dresden  |
| Issue date: | 10/06/1979 |
| From: | Vollmer R Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | Baumgarten R ILLINOIS, UNIV. OF, CHICAGO, IL |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19254D360 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7910250389 | |
| Download: ML19254D359 (4) | |
Text
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UNITED STATES f
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October 6,1979 Decket No. 50-10 Professor Ronald J. Bauagarten Asscciate Professor of Chenistry
'Jriversity of Illinois at Chicago Circle Depart"ent of Chenistry Ecx 43 8 Chicago, Illinois 60680
Dear Professor Saungarten:
This is in response to your recent letter to Dr. Hendrie, which expressed your concern related to the chemical decontamination of Dresden Nuclear Power Station, Un.t No. 1.
We have been reviewing this project since Commonwealth Edison's initial decor,tanination proposal on December 12, 1974 On December 9, 1975, we issued a conditional authorization whir.n allcwed Commonwealth Edison to initiate the chenical decor,taminat ion subject to the completion of three itens which would be resolved as follcws:
1.
The testing progran wili be completed and the results submitted for the review and approval of the 'RC staff prior to perfoming the proposed chenical cleaning.
2.
A pre-service inspection progran for the primary coolant boundary will be femulated and submitted for NRC review and approval prior to returning the reactor to service.
3.
A post-cleaning surveillance program which includes additional surveillance specimens and a specimen withdrawal and examination schedule will be submitted for NRC review and approval prior to returning the reactor to service.
A ccpy of our Safety Evaluation in support of these actions is enclosed for your information.
S i r.c u cur T5 aJthorizaticr Ccnaan.calth Edison has completed its ite O s :est ;rcgra, a-c co struct'on cf the ecessary support f Scilities to cerry cut tFe pr: ject in _ sa'e and en,'irorcnentally Our rev"n: of d e testing progra and the facility a::ectable anner.
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.c i v is contir in and v;ill he cc spleted prior to the chemical c' e a.- 9 va: is currently sveN s C:r early 1920.
Tr.e ce:cn:arinaticn process ireolves the circulat'on of a Dow Chemical Cc :ary clean ng solvent trrc.;h the reactor prinary cooling system.
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,S-1, F.as haen develcced to renove the thin, t
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s 2-October 6, 1979 Ircf 2 ssc r br.ald J. Ngarten The solvent will Preferentially dissolve the oxide wit' out significantly attaciinc the underlying base netal of the primary cocling systen piping.
Af ter re. cval of the uraniun fuel, the solvent will be circulated thrcugh the prircry coolant system for approxinately 100 hours0.00116 days <br />0.0278 hours <br />1.653439e-4 weeks <br />3.805e-5 months <br /> at about 25f F.
ur circulaticn the solvent and the dissolved cxides will be drained frcn the reactor to a waste treatment facility located acjecent to the reacter.
Fry rem 3ining solvent will be cleaned fro-t"e reactor by rinsing with denineralized water.
The rinse water and sclvent will be stored in the waste treatrent facility storage tanks until processed to concentration and solidify the solvent and dissolved racicactive corrosion products.
The decontamination will be carried cu' 'ntirely within a closed system and all waste processing will be accompl.ihed within a specially designed, earthquake proof, leak tight, buildir':.
All transportation of radioactive wastes will be done in accordance uith all applicable GC and Department of Transportation regul ations. Because of these precautior.s, there will be no increased hazard to the health and safety of the citizens of Illinois or any degradation of the environnent in Illinois.
After processing the concentrated waste solution will be solidified ;
55 gallon druns using a crecess developed by the Dow Che" cal Conpany ~ r the solidification of low level radioactive wastes. This solicification ortces has been tested on the *;S-1 solvent and produced a solid waste forn that contained no free liquids. The waste solidification crocedures ?nclude a cuality centrol process test on each barrel of waste :: cravide additinnal assurance that the liquid waste has been properly solicified.
/fter solidification the viaste druns will be transpc-ted by a conniercial radioactive waste carrier to a licensed solid waste burial ground such Seatty, ';es ada or ia: #crd, !lashint;te n.
These arid, desert rites hce been specifically electej for the disposal of the Dresden waste to further assure that there is no interaction of the waste with ground water.
Because the waste is in a solid form, the ground water level is approximately 300 feet below the surface, and the burial sites are located in renote, uninhabited locations, there is adequate assurance that the waste will renain isolated frcm potential pathways for exposure of the ;opulation.
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s "rc'assor ;cr.ald J. Bau garten "ctober 6,197 9 het.ever, T rel'..inary estina+es of the cost for decontcminating currently operating U. S. reactors r: ;e frca 1 million to 5 nillien dollars per reactor and viculd vary depending en the extent of nodification required at a specific facility to perfem the decontanination.
M e d u c e r.* = i".a t i o n c reacter prirary cooling syste s will reduce the radia' ion exrcsure level s in the areas of these systers, trereby per.'it-11.;.rcater cc:ess to the syste"; for inspections, no:ifications, and repairs.
These activities prcvide greater assurance of the continued safe cperation of the reactor and are therefere in the best interest of the health and safety of the tablic.
Furtherrore, the decontarination reill reduce the cccupational exposure of the individuals e ployed at Dresden.
With respect to requests for the preparation of an Environ ental Irpact Statenent for the Cresden Unit 1 decontamir ation, Title 10 Part 51.5 of the United States Code of Federal Regalations iaentifies the follotting actions as requiring the preparation of such a Statement:
"(1) Issuance of a pernit to construct a nuclear power reactor, testing facility, or fuel recrocessing ;lant pursuant to Part 50 of thic chapter; (2) :ssuance of a full ;cuer er design ca;ccity licerse to operate a nuclecr power reactor, testing facility, or fuel re:rocessing plant pursuant to Part 50 of this chapter; (3) Issuance of a perrit to construct or a cesign caracity license to cperate an isetoric enrichrent plant pursuant to [50.33 of this chapter; M) :ssw.ce of a license tc pgsess and use special nuclear naterial for processing and fuel fabrication, scrap recovery, cr conversion of urani.in hexafluoride pursuart to Part 70 of this chapter; (5) Issuance of a license to possess and use source naterial far uraniu, r.illing or production of uraniu-hexafluoride pursuant to Part 40 of this chapter;
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,er 6,197 9 (8) Issuance of a license to nanufacture rarsuant to Appendix M of Part 50 of this chapter; (9) Anendacnts of Parts 30 and 40 of this chapter concerning the exemption from licensing and regulatory requirements of any equip-nent, devise, connodity or other product containing byproduct nateriat or source naterial, and (10) Any other actic.1 which the Connission deternines is a major Connission action significantly affecting the quality of human environnent."
Cur review to date has concluded that the decont..mination of the Dresden I prinary coolant system is not one of the identified actions requiring that an Environmental Impact Statenen; be prepared. The Connission has not determined that this action is a major Commission action significantly affecting the quality of the hunan environnent.
In sunnary, the DresJan decontanination has been carefuily planned to ircrove the safety of the reactor and reduce the exposure of plant esonnel to radiation.
The waste produced by the process is similar in type and quantity to the waste routinely produced at Dresden and its
- cessing, transportation, and disposal will not cause any new hazards
.ot ;;reviously eval uated and deena acceptable.
Sincerely,
_r T f e ll):
Richard H. Vollner, Acting Assistant i
Director for Systenatic Evaluation Progran Division of Operating Reactors
~ closure:
Eafety Evaluation P00R ORGINAL im u4
UNIT ED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION W ASHINGTON. D.
C.
20555 SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE 0FFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION SUPPORTING AUTHORIZATION TO CHE5!ICALLY DECONTAMINATE THE PRIMARY C00LINC SYSTEM AT DRESDEN UNIT 1 C0500.V.aiALTH EDISON COMPANY DRESDEN NUCLEAR PONER STATION UNITJ DOCKET NO. 50-10 INTRODUCTION By letters dated December 16, 1974, April 1, 1975 and April 14, 1975, the Correnwcalth Edison Company (CECO) requested authori:ation to carry out a chemical decontamination of the interior surfaces of the Dresden Unit 1 primary coolant syster.
The purpose of the decontanination is to remove a deposition of activated corrosion products which is tightly bonded to the primary coolant syster piping and corronents. The presence of the corrosion products in the syster results in hich levels of radiation in adjacent areas and limits access to these areas for the purpose of in-service inspection, routine maintenance and plant modifications.
Ceco has tentatively scheduled the chemical cleaning proj ect to begin in Jaruary 1977 with an anticipated return to service scheduled for July 1977, EVALUATIUN The staff's review of CECO's proposed chemical decontmiination of the interior surfaces of the Dresden Unit 1 primary coolant syster has been completed.
The results of this review are as follows :
1.
Environmental Impact 1he cher.ical decontamination of the Dresden 1 primary coolant syster will be 1.crforced entirely within a closed decontamination system.
The system has been designed so that no chemical or radiological wastes will be released to the environment fror the decentamination process.
All wastes generated in tha process will be either solidified for offsite burial at a licensed burial ground or reprocessed for reuse onsite.
The solid wastes produced are sir.ilar in type and quantity to those handled routinely at the site. Therefore, no adverse environmental impacts are anticipated due to the decontamination.
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Materials Compatibii'.ty The staff has reviewed the results of the material test ng program that has been carried out in support of the proposed Dresc.1 1 decontamination program-The test program was organized ts louk at corrosive effects during the decontamination process an' 3ossible residual effects during subsequent reactor operation.
Based upon our review of the results of the testing program completed to date, we have concluded that the test program adequately evaluated those aspects of the materials compatibility that we consider to be important. As a result cf our discussions with CECO's consultant, Dr. Craig Cheng of Argonne National Laboratory, we find that the remainin; prograr will be conducted in a manner that will answer our presently unresolved concerns and the test results will be adequately interpreted and reported.
he conclude that upon the successful completion of the testing program described in the sub-ittals and with an adequate surveillance and inspection program, the Dresden Nuclear Power Station Unit I can be subjected to the described chemical c1 caning process without undue corrcsion or other deleterious materials compatibility effects that would adversely eJfect the integrity of the primary coolant system and connected systems.
A small number of items of concern have not been resolved to the staff's full satisfaction at this time.
However,.e conclude that authori:ation to c?rry out the chemical de.ontamination should be granted in anticipation of the successful resolution of these open items in the near future.
The following open items are identified at this time as requirin; reso'lution to the staff's satisfaction:
(a) The materials test program will be completed and the test results will be analyzed and reviewed prior to the beginning of the cleaning process.
(b) Surveillance specimens in addition to those now planned will be determined by mutual agreement with the applicant and a schedule for specimen withdrawal will be stated.
(c) A pre-service inspection prograr for the prim-y coolant boundary and safety related systems will be formulated ar.d performed prior to return to power.
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_ 3.
Effluent Treatment Systems We have determined that the effluent treatment system, if constructed as described in the CECO submittals, is capable of handling the types and quantities of effluents expected to be generated by the decon-tamination program Our review was limitec t.' the use of the system for che:.:ical deconta: ination only, and tee
->I the syster for any other purpose subsequent to that program must be reviewed prior to such use.
4.
Radiological Safety We have further concluded that the radiological safety program described in the submittals is adequate to assure that the health and safety of the public and the onsite personnel will not be endangered by the Dresden 1 decontanination proj ect.
CONCLUSION We have concluded, based on the considerations discussed above, that:
(1) because the chemical cleaning does not involve a significant increase in the probability or censequences of accidents previously considered and does not involve a significant decrease in a safety margin, the c1 caning proj ect does not involve a sienificant ha:ards consideration, (2) '
re is reasonable assurance that the health and safety.f the public w2.
not be endangered by operation in the proposed manner, and (3) such activities will be conducted in compliance with the Cor ission's regulations and the issuance of this amendment will not be inimical to the co= on defense and security or to the health end safety of the public.
Date:
Decenber 9, 1975 1209 127